1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic gaming devices, and more specifically to electronic gaming devices which adjust payout amounts based on the activity and ranks of other gaming sessions.
2. Description of the Related Art
The profitability of slot machines is directly proportional to the amount of time that they are played. Consequently, casinos often attempt to prolong the length of player gambling sessions. Casino slot clubs were developed with just such a goal in mind. Players were provided reward points for each dollar wagered, with points exchangeable for cash, merchandise, food, etc. Much like an airline frequent flyer mile system, slot clubs encouraged greater play since the player would earn larger reward point totals. Although these programs succeeded in providing an incentive to play more, players had no incentive to extend the length of a given gambling session since they could always pick up where they left off at a later session. Three sessions of one hour each were thus equivalent to one session of three hours. Every time that a player ended a gambling session, however, there was a risk that he would go to another casino. Casinos would prefer that a player play for extended periods of time rather than over multiple sessions.